You Will Be the Death of Me
by starlightexpresso
Summary: She was threatened, used and almost killed by the one she loved the most. But... "You know what never gets old? Revenge." Set after 3x11 Our Town
1. Chapter 1: Death

**A/N: **This idea popped up in my head while watching "Our Town". Hope you like it! (Sorry for any grammar/vocabulary mistakes)

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><p><strong>Part 15**

** Death**

Elena was standing on the bridge, watching him leave.

Her lips were still clammy and red from the vampire's blood, which was shamelessly dripping down her chin. She could still feel the metallic taste of it on the tip of her tongue. Sensing it made her spit in disgust.

She stood there, motionless and numb. There were so many thoughts running through her tired mind that she couldn't focus on any of them. She felt it all: despair, misery, disappointment, anger, rage, hatred and unbelief. But at the same time, she didn't feel anything. This mix of emotions was too much for her to bear. It was unbelievable for her that Stefan, of all people, did this to her. It was him who had saved her from dying on this bridge, him who had always let her make a choice herself. And now he not only took her choice away, but also threatened to kill her here, by pushing her off of the speeding car, straight to the deep and icy waters of the river, with no chance for survival. At least not in her original, human form.

Her eyes were misty and red-rimmed from the tears that she just couldn't shed. Yet they were still in her, unable to get out, filling up her whole body and making it quiver. Second by second, she felt her legs becoming more and more nerveless and too light to carry the heaviness of her blue, swollen heart. She tried to move, to fight against this overwhelming stupor, but, having made the first, painful step, she collapsed and fell on the ground. This time there was no Stefan to catch her.

She curled up and lay like this on the rough asphalt. She was bedraggled and the raindrops still kept on falling down her rubicund cheeks, but Elena simply didn't care. She nestled her face to the ground, as if it was a pillow. As if it was Stefan's chest.

When she closed her eyes, he saw his face – the memory was so vivid that almost left Elena breathless. His olive eyes, oh, they were filled with such warmth, passion, protectiveness, a tiny spark of nostalgia and, most importantly, _love_. He gave her that welcoming look and Elena was ready to drown in his green irises. Her tiny heart wasn't broken anymore. It started beating, loudly and sonorously, and the sound of its beating was like the most wonderful song in the world, because it was their love which was singing it.

She couldn't help but smile to her thoughts – she even let out a silent chuckle at the memory of them cooking together. But her happiness didn't last long. Suddenly, his face started changing – the fire in his eyes died, leaving them dull and lifeless, turning all the impassioned emotions they once held into pure boredom. His tentative smile yield to an evil smirk which curved his pink lips, the ones where Elena had wanted to place thousand kisses upon, but it seemed like centuries ago. He looked at her derisively, seeing her as nothing but delectable food.

She was shaking her head up and down, trying to erase the fatal picture from her mind, but it didn't help. He seemed to be laughing at her for even trying to do so, as if he'd known that she won't succeed.

All of the sudden, the face finally faded away as Elena went unconscious, hit by the car. Her frazzled heart didn't even put up a fight. It let out a last, muffled beat, saying goodbye to her human life.


	2. Chapter 2: Halfdead and halfalive

**A/N: **First off, I'd like to thank you so much for the beautiful feedback! I hope you won't be disappointed by the story. Today, I have some DELENA goodness for you... And, again, sorry for any grammar/vocabulary mistakes, I hope they won't make reading hard, but English isn't my mother tongue and I'm still learning. Anyway, enjoy!

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><p><strong>Part 25**

**Half-death and half-alive**

Elena took the crackling fabric off of her face and opened her eyes widely. It took her few seconds to realize where she was – and when she finally did, she jumped out of the shelf in horror. She wondered who could be that cruel to leave her alone in morgue while sleeping? Was that supposed to be a joke? If so, then it wasn't funny at all.

Not thinking much, she flashed past the room and headed straight to the front door. It wasn't difficult to escape from the hospital since it was few minutes after midnight and everyone, including the nurse, was sleeping heavily. She soundlessly closed the door after her, surprised by the adroitness and grace of her own movements. She stood in front of the building for a moment, thinking about the ways of coming back home. Her car was standing outside her house where she parked it yesterday. She couldn't find her cell phone in the shallow pockets of her pajamas, so she couldn't call Damon to pick her up. Plus, the distance between the hospital and her house was about 6 miles length, making the idea of walking home simply infeasible.

Elena let out a silent sigh and sat on the nearby rock, surrounded by bushes. She crossed her legs and folded her arms. She was resigned. Clutching to the remains of her dignity, she was going to sit here like this the whole night and wait for the rescue. She smiled to herself – despite these horrible clothes, she had to look almost like damsel in distress. She took a look around the precincts and noticed a man standing in front of his car. She rushed to him and came to a stop, standing about ten feet behind him. The moonlight lit his ruffled, raven hair, and the black, leather jacket of his reflected the silvery rays. His body was trembling from sobbing and his hands laid on the lacquered hood of his car. Was this Damon? It seemed quite impossible to her. Damon Salvatore never cries.

The man took few deep breaths and rubbed his face. Defeated, he was about to get in the car, start it and drive away where no one could find him, hoping that he will not only leave Mystic Falls behind, but also all his painful memories connected with this town – but, suddenly, he heard someone calling him from behind.

- D-Damon..? Wait!

He turned around and froze. This could not be happening.

Elena looked at his terrified, pale face in amazement. Then, she started laughing, which scared him even more.

- You look as if you saw a ghost! – she smiled.

- Because I did! I… I still do! Can you please explain to me how are you alive? – he finally managed to say, after few seconds of silence.

Now it was Elena who stood still, too frightened to make a move. Because now, she remembered: Stefan, kidnapping, the bridge, her numbness, the car… and her death. She remembered it all.

- I am not, Damon. Not anymore. – she whispered, in a low voice.

Then it hit him. It hit him like nothing before. She was alive, but dead in the same time. She will never raise her own kids. She will never experience the adulthood. She will never go gray. He will never see this glow on her soft cheeks anymore. She will be eighteen forever, frozen in time. But how…?

- It was Stefan. – she explained, before he could tell a word. She didn't have to continue, he understood everything within a second. Stefan turned her into a vampire, so Klaus won't make new hybrids. Such a bastard he was…! If he only had a chance, he would stake him. It didn't matter that he had saved his life. He wasn't that person anymore. He wasn't the Stefan he knew and loved. He was no longer his brother, just a callous vampire, utterly lost in the bloodlust. His humanity was gone and it won't come back. There wasn't any hope for him.

- Get in the car, Elena – he ordered harshly. She haltingly pulled the door grip and placed herself in the front seat. He looked at her, at the dove-gray pajamas she was wearing, and vaguely wanted to lend her his leather jacket, to warm her a little. But, she didn't need it anymore. Because she's not cold, and she never will be.

He sighed and started the car. The whole way home they didn't talk, he only heard Elena sobbing quietly. God, she must've been so lost… he remembered his first day as a vampire, how he had felt dizzy and insecure, how he had wanted to end his new life immediately, to stop the pain that was feeling up his dead heart. But his longing for blood was stronger. The very first drop he drank doomed him for this existence, forever in shadows, forever in dark. Elena… after Katherine, she was the one to light up his world. Her warm smile, kindness and innocence brought new life to him. She was his own sunshine. She was making him a better person, and he was grateful for that. But his brother, his own flesh and blood, took this innocence and purity that he once loved away from him. Yet it was still Elena, here, sitting right next to him, crying. And, even broken, she was still beautiful. She was still the same Elena he loved and always will be.

- Is there anything I can do for you? – he asked shyly.

Elena dried her tears and took a deep breath.

- I don't know, Damon. It's so difficult… I'm so difficult. – she said, tears springing into her eyes.

- Shh, don't say that! You'll be okay, Elena. I promise. I know it's hard now, I know how lost you are, but, believe me, you'll make it through. We'll make it through. – he cheered her. A tentative smile flickered through her face.

- Thank you – she whispered.

- You don't have to thank me, Elena. You know I won't leave you, no matter what. You are not alone. – he explained himself, smiling to her gently.

- I'm not thanking for this. I am thanking for everything. I am thanking you for being here for me, through my ups and downs, when I need you the most, you're always here and I know I can count on you. That means a world for me. I know I haven't told it before, but I'm really grateful for it. You should know that. – she said, putting as much empathy in her words as she could, but somehow she was running out of it. He was indeed a true friend for her, more like a big brother. But now all she could think about was Stefan, and how cruel he was. How he threatened her, how he left her alone to die, how he didn't love her at all. She was losing herself in bitterness and thoughts of revenge.

Damon wanted to kiss her, right here, right now. He wanted to melt in her luscious lips, hold her tightly and indulge in her body's scent. He knew he couldn't, and even yesterday, he would hate himself for that. But now, her sudden words changed his whole life. If she didn't love him that way, it's okay, he will understand. He will love and worship her by stealth, aloof.

He smiled at her, and his smile was saying it all. She knew he loved her so much and he would do anything for her. She wanted to love him madly and deeply, just like he loves her, but somehow she couldn't. Her heart already belonged to someone else, whether she liked it or not. No matter that he didn't love her in return, that he was a merciless monster who seemed to be having fun causing her hurt and wanted her dead. He had saved her life, and so what? He turned it into a wicked game with her as a pawn. Slowly but precisely, he turned her life into a living nightmare, by taking everyone she loved away from her, one by one. It was worse than death. But hey, wasn't it him who fed her with his blood? Didn't he buckle down to her death that way? And then, it was Damon – hadn't he done the same to him? Back in 1864, it was him who had Katherine, and Damon had to live with that. When they both died and returned as vampires, Stefan made him drink human blood to complete the transition, despite Damon's will. He simply took the choice away from him and did the exact thing to her.

On the Salvatore's boarding house's porch, she hugged Damon and shed few tears. Then, she placed a soft kiss upon his cheek, with the last remains of her humanity and entered the house with his invitation. Doing it, she had only one thing on her mind: revenge. She hated Stefan's actions, even more – she hated _him_. Yet, somehow, he stole her heart. And now, she was ready to take it back. To take what was rightfully hers.

Not knowing, Elena found the switch and turned it off.

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><p><strong>AN:** So that's it, I hope you won't hate me for doing it to Elena, but she was always the one to suffer and I wanted her to take control of the situation. Reviews = love :)


	3. Chapter 3: Turn It On

**A/N: **First off, I'd like to thank you for the reviews again! This chapter is about Stefan and includes a lot of STELENA (which you all were waiting for!) and a little Steroline. Hope you like it!

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><p><strong>Part 35**

**Turn It On**

Stefan was driving carefully yet fast, his eyes focused on the road. He knew what he has just done and was well aware of the future consequences it may hold. Yet he kept on driving, with his hands clutched tightly to the wheel and his teeth gritted. There was such tension in his body – the Ripper inside of him barely managed to keep the emotionless mask on his face. The memory of Elena, standing in the rain, with her eyes red from sobbing and body shivering from cold, but also the pain that he caused, was haunting him. He was thinking of her all the time, recreating every little detail of the scene inside his head.

"_How could you? My parents died here, I almost died here!"_

It was too much and he knew. Nobody deserved it, especially Elena – Elena, always kind and warm-hearted, and caring. There were so many things that she had already gone through, more than anyone her age ever will be. And she did it because she loved him, because she put so much hope and faith in him that nobody had ever put. He was a monster not to love her for it. He tried, harder and harder each day, to find that lost feeling inside of him – but it seemed to be buried way too deep beneath the thick layer of bitterness and cruelty that he just couldn't get rid of. He wondered if she ever forgave him. If he were ever able to look into her eyes again. And even if he were, would he find the same love and understanding that he once had? Or was it lost forever?

"_You had me!"_

Yes, he had her. He had, but it was like another lifetime. She fell in love with the Saint Stefan that he had once been. Now, when she saw his true colors, his killing nature, he wasn't sure if she could ever love him that way again. He couldn't risk exposing his feelings, he couldn't risk a heartbreak. He was already shattered, and the ruthlessness was like glue to the broken pieces. As long as he had his emotions turned off, he was perfectly safe. But he had a strange feeling that soon he will have to leave alone his comfortable shelter. Because… wasn't the constant thinking about someone a form of caring, of worrying? He was pretty sure it was, he just hadn't admitted it yet.

He was driving around the town, just to run away from the thoughts that kept coming back. But somehow he ended up standing outside her house, the one's that he wanted to escape from. Elena's. And somehow, it felt like home. It felt like where he belonged. But he couldn't go back there, not now. "_I have coffins to look after and one hybrid to kill"_, he was telling himself repeatedly, just to convince himself it was the true reason for his actions. But it wasn't. He was just a coward. A simple coward. He knew he wouldn't stand the look of disappointment, sadness, anger – who knows, maybe even hatred – in the eyes of the woman he… loves?

He let out a silent chuckle and shook his head in disbelief. He loves her, for the God's sake! How could he ever forget that? How could he ever doubt it?

He could feel as the mask he was hiding himself behind was cracking as the emotions he wanted to hide were coming out into the open. The love he had for Elena was making its way to his heart, slowly filling it up. Even though it was dead for over a hundred years now, he could almost hear a silent beat it let out and the memories it was followed by…

_Boom._

He's on the Wickery Bridge. The Gilberts' car is crashed. He rushes to help the only person that survived, a teenage girl. She's just lost her parents and she's close to the death herself. He comes closer and sees her, lying prone and unconscious on the bloody asphalt. Her breath is heavy and shallow and by now he knows he doesn't have much time. So he bits his wrist deep enough to reach the veins and lets the blood flow. If she drinks it now, it will heal her, without turning her into a vampire. Despite the sore pain that his sharp teeth caused, he smiles to himself, he almost feels like a savior now. For the first time in his eternal life, he knows he's doing a good thing. And then, he turns her head to face his, so he can press his wrist to her mouth. But his eyes widen at the familiarity of this face. He sees Katherine.

_Boom._

He officially meets her. It's the first day of school and everyone's nervous, when she crashes into him on the school corridor. He feels the electricity when her body touches his, and he wonders if she feels it too. She looks at him, confused and embarrassed, saying sorry for her own clumsiness and it's the first time he hears her voice, so sweet and innocent that he indulges in it. She blushes and by now he knows, she's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

_Boom._

They're on the porch, alone together for the first time. He wonders what she's thinking about. He wants to know everything about her. She's nothing like Katherine, even more, she's the exact opposite of her. And he's thankful for that, he's thankful that she's Elena. He loves the way his tongue rolls in his mouth while pronouncing her name. _E-le-na_… the sound of her name is so soft, and so… right. He wonders when will he can call her _his_ Elena. And then the miracle happens and they kiss. He knew her voice, her touch, and now, he knows the taste of Elena Gilbert.

_Boom._

They're in bed together for the first time. Elena is sleeping heavily, like a baby child, cuddled up into his chest, and he's lying beside her, stroking her chocolate brown hair. They've been through a lot and she knows the truth about his nature and his past. It was hard for her to accept it but, after all, she did it, she gave him her heart, just like he had given her his long time ago. For the first time he can call her his Elena.

_Boom._

He's in the car with Damon, trying to find the people who kidnapped Elena and rescue her. She looks into his brother's eyes and he knows. He really, truly wants to help Elena. He's not doing it for him, not because of the family ties that bond them as brothers. He's doing it for a different reason. Even if he won't admit it, they're in love with the same woman again.

_Boom._

He has to leave her for the first time. He did what he had to do to have Damon healed. He knew it was the right thing, his brother didn't deserve to die that way. But he got the cure at a price. Now, he has to give himself to Klaus, the callous hybrid that he hates with all he has. He leaves without saying goodbye, he knows that his brother will take good care of the woman they both love.

_Boom._

He's in Mystic Falls again. They're in the gym and he hates the sound of the clock ticking and ticking, echoing in his head. Soon it will strike upon the evil hour and he, compelled, will have to kill her. When the time comes, he's proud because he loves her so much, as much to fight with the compulsion. He's pretty sure he'll succeed when the psycho hybrid appears suddenly and compels him again. This time, something changes, something switches in him… And for the first time Elena doesn't taste like innocent and sweetness. Just like the human blood he feeds on.

_Boom._

He's on the Wickery Bridge with her, again. But this time, he's not saving her. This time he causes her pain, he breaks her. She bursts in tears, shocked and betrayed. He gets in the car, a little bit confused about the sudden pang of guilt that he has just felt, but he keeps a stiff upper lip and drives away, leaving her alone. He doesn't comfort her for the first time.

Stefan fell on his knees in front of her door. All he felt for himself was disgust, like he didn't even deserve to walk on the same ground that she was walking, to breathe the same air she was breathing and to love her like he does. Not after everything he had done… all he had ever caused was destruction. He destroyed her. And by destroying her, he destroyed them both.

He cried a little at what he had lost, and then decided to visit Caroline. She had been his best friend once, and she was still Elena's friend. He had to ensure if she is, if Elena is okay, and wanted to know how she's doing and what did he miss. He wasn't able to speak to Elena, but hearing Caroline was a little like hearing her. She was a part of her life, wasn't she?

He hesitantly opened the door and got to her room. It looked as he remembered it – the yellow walls and the dotted, translucent net curtain stayed the same. The blonde vampire was lying on the bed, holding a mp3 player in one hand and a pack of tissues in another. When she noticed him, she jumped in shock.

"What do you want?", she hissed, trying to put as much venom in her voice as she could, but it broke in the end of the sentence. Despite her seeming calmness, she was shaking a little and was misty-eyed. Hey, was she…

"Were you crying?", he asked, puzzled.

"Even if I did, then what? It's not like you care, anyway", she teased, but the look in her eyes said that she wanted him to care.

Stefan sighed. He was more and more disgusted in himself. He hurt everyone he loved. He even hurt Caroline, bubbly little Caroline. He was a true monster.

"What do you want?" she asked again, this time she was really crying.

"Right now, I want you to tell me what happened, Care. In details. You are… were.. my friend, even the best one, you always cheered me up and now you're standing in front of me, crying your eyes out, all broken and I don't know what to do to ease your pain. Please, tell me what can I do, because I can't stand seeing you crying… Seeing you like this, it's killing me.", he stated, his voice more and more silent with each word.

"Oh my god.", Caroline's eyes widened as she whispered, "You're back."

Stefan laughed a little at her shocked expression. "Well, I guess you can say that."

She rushed to him and hugged him tightly. For a moment she forgot why she was crying.

"I missed you! You and I, we need to go shopping or something. Promise we will? I can't wait to tell you about everything, about me and Tyler and… hey, maybe coffee shop? We'll drink coffee together, I'll get my white as always, yours black with two sugars aaaand… oh my God, I just can't wait to tell El—", she didn't finish the sentence when she started crying again. This time, she cuddled her head into his forearm, looking for comfort.

Stefan felt a lump in his throat. "What? Is there anything wrong with… Elena?", he hardly managed to speak.

Caroline calmed for a minute and took a deep breath.

"S-she… she's… she's dead.", she said and started crying again.

Stefan couldn't believe what he had just heard. It was all too painful. His already-broken heart broke again. Without Elena, there was no world to him, there was nothing worth living for. But didn't he make her feed on his blood before? Unless she waited long enough for the blood to leave her system… it seemed possible since she swallowed only an ounce of it or less, spitting the rest of blood out. Yet he had to make sure.

"Is she a vampire now?", he asked, his voice cold and dull.

Caroline closed her eyes, trying to focus on what she was saying.

"N-no… How w-would she?... Damon c-called me, few minutes ago and he… he said that… he saw the body and, she wasn't breathing, her heart wasn't beating… He… he wanted to feed her on his own blood but when he got there, it was just too late… He saw the b-body… it was cold, pale and… he said there was no life in it. I-I… asked him the same question, I didn't even know why, but I just… I don't want her to be dead, dead for good! B-but he told me that it couldn't be… That if she were, she would've been awakened by now, and-d… she's not an-d… she's really dead Stefan… she's… dead… and she won't come b-back… Stefan?", she asked and opened her eyes, but the room was empty. Stefan Salvatore was gone.

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><p><strong>AN:** As for your questions to the story...

**Katerina: **Thanks! :) Yes, she was hit by the car, and it wasn't Stefan's.

**di:** I'm glad you like it! :D I think I don't have to answer your question now since this chapter is the best answer I can think of ;)


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